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How to take a volunteer vacation
"Voluntourism is not about martyrdom," says Christopher Hill, CEO of Hands Up Holidays, a London-based company that arranges high-end excursions that incorporate volunteering. "It's about making a difference"
Testimonials:
"I DEFINITELY recommend the program for anyone interested in Tropical and Neotropical conservation/ banding/ research. It was VERY enjoyable and thank you very much to everyone involved, especially Gloria, Jose, Misael and Isabel!" Avery Bartels – Ecovolunteer from Canada-
"Your comments here!”. Your name - Your city
"Being a Ecovolunteer with ProAves is a great experience that will bring out the best in you. You will learn new things every day not just related to nature but also to social and economic relations with the environment, which can also be applied to daily life" Maria Alejandra Chadid - Ecovolunteer from Colombia-
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Frequently asked questions Click on a question to see/hide the answer.
As an Ecovolunteer you’re able to support a project in two different ways: by working and by paying. Depending on the project, you have to be available for at least four weeks. The length of your stay, your previous education and your experience will determine the kind of work that you do.
Some projects offer specific dates for participation, but most allow you to make your own choice. When a project is open for participation throughout the year, you can expect it to be suitable for that participation regardless of the season, the only month you are not allowed to participate is December.
To be able to participate in an Ecovolunteer Project, you have to:
The indicated prices in this website are per person and do not include the trip to your destination, local transportation or extra activities. We have based them on shared occupancy and shared facilities. This money covers your participation and contributes to the project's organisation, as well as the continuation of the research and conservation efforts, management and maintenance of the Ecovolunteer Program organization.
If exchange rates fluctuate strongly the prices might be subject to change. Check at your national booking agency if that might be the case. These prices allow every bird reserve to continue their conservation projects throughout the year. While you support these programs by working and paying, you will be contributing to ProAves and Ecoturs to keep development different programs in Colombia. Today we have given you a great opportunity to participate as an Ecovulunteer in one of our three available reserves for less money. For every month you want to stay and participate with your time and money Proaves and Ecoturs will discount 50% of total amount. Come and join us! Amazing experiences you will be able to enjoy in Colombia!
Once you have completed and emailed us your application form through our website (link), you will get answer from our ecovolunteer coordinator who will inform you about your request. When you get this information you should deposit USD 200 (foreign) or $300.000 (Colombians). This will allow us to continue the process. Once our coordinator gets confirmation about the payment, you will get an email with all information you need. (duration, location, local transportation, needed documents etc.)
When both coordinator and ecovolunteer have gotten all information, the coordinator will tell you when you will be able to deposit the amount. This has to be complete 15 days before you leave your home. If ou have everything ready our coordinator will email you in case something else is needed. Note: Money non-refundable once the process has begun.
Cancelations may be done once you have made the decision. You should present a letter explaining why you want to leave.
If you do not appear for any accommodation or service, or if you leave a project after your participation has begun, miss any scheduled activities, meals or accommodations there will be no refund, unles the local project management decides differently. Cancellation fees regretfully are necessary as for small scale operations like these ecovolunteer projects it usually is very difficult if not impossible to compensate in workplanning and funding for late cancellations and as costs have been made for the initial booking.
Extensive files on each project are available through this website. You can obtain them by going to the appropriate project presentation. There you can choose to download documents containing extensive and more detailed information. These project files are available in English and Spanish.
For further information, feel free to contact the ecovolunteer coordinator, who happily will answer all your questions.
Each Ecovolunteer project requires you to carry both cancellation insurance and travel insurance. The latter has to cover all possible costs of medical emergencies, rescue operations and repatriation. Your agent, the Ecovolunteer Program, the project and their employees will reject any liabilities that could have been included in the policy. If you decide to make your own arrangements, you need to send a copy of the policies to our ecovolunteer coordinator.
In case you arrive at a project site without being able to prove that you have the proper insurance, the project management is entitled to reject your participation without any refund until you have acquired the proper coverage.
You may need to be inocculated against specific diseases. Since there is always the possibility that you will need further treatment, this has to be done about six weeks before departure. If you have chosen to participate in a project for a longer period, consider having your annual or periodic dental check-up before departure. Don't worry, just be prepared.
If you want to be an ecovolunteer with ProAves, you need a valid passport and in some cases a visa.
Obtaining these papers is your own responsibility. For some projects or long-term participation you may need a special visa support letter. Incidentally, a specific project or a specific nationality of the participant may mean that this letter has to be sent directly to the embassy or consulate. In that case, you may have to be very patient when applying for the appropriate papers. However, this is an exception to the rule. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that all documentation required for your participation in the project is obtained and is in order. Additional costs made as a result of your failure to comply with such requirements will be recovered from you.
You don’t need to be educated for all our positions. However, many projects would like to know if you have been educated in relevant subjects (e.g. biology or ecology) or if you have any special skills that might come in handy. If so, then please inform us through your application form It is strongly recommended that you read some background material on the bird reserves that you visit and the species and ecosystems that you will encounter.
Our ecovolunteers should know about investigation, conservation actions related to Proaves, community living and biodiversity, etc.
When you want to participate in an Ecovolunteer project it is not necessary to take any equipment with you. Once you get to the project site you will be given all the necessary tools and supplies. If you do decide to bring personal provisions, you may find them useful during your time as Ecovolunteer.
Each bird reserve have their ecological cabins where you will live with others volunteers and researchers. You can expect to share a room with another ecovolunteer. In most cases the kitchen, toilets, bathroom and other facilities will be used by all the members of your team.
The food is included in the price. You do not have to pay extra for your food at your placement.
Dietary preferences must be said at the beginning of your time there. Most places will try to meet your requirements, but we cannot guarantee this due to differences in availability of ingredients and traditional customs.
Ecovolunteer projects are not service oriented professional tourism enterprises. The wildlife and the conservation and research activities always come first. Consider your participation as a privilege.
Usually the atmosphere in the projects is relaxed and open, and with mutual agreement a lot of things are possible. Beware however that the project management is not engaged to provide for your entertainment, though the staff will be happy to inform you about the animals, the project and the research. The staff occasionally does need its privacy, but you will find them to be friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
In the event of you not being happy with the services provided, then discuss this with the rererve administration so that they may look for a solution. In case you cannot agree with the proposed solution, then ask the coordinator for a report on your problem. After returning home, send this report to Prroaves with your complaint. Without the report that shows that you did try to solve your problem with the project management, no complaint can be handled.
All ecovolunteers need to sign for a waiver / disclaimer for a release of liabilities. This waiver / disclaimer is a declaration on the general rules and agreement for participation in the Ecovolunteer Program. This waiver / disclaimer will be send it once the process has begun. Occasionally it may be needed to additionally sign a second waiver / disclaimer when arriving at the project site.
Flights, airfare related taxes and airport related tax or other means of transport from your country to Colombia and the place you will be stay in, are not included in the price of the projects.
Additional expenses due to a delay, extension of transportation or other causes beyond our control are not refunded by the projects or by the Ecovolunteer Program.
All voluntees can not use the obtained information for personal publications or articles without the needed permission given by Fundación Proaves Executive Director -legal representative-. Fundacion Proaves owns the information and this will be used for further investigations, conservation actions, projects, etc.
Monthly every volunteer has to complete an questionnaire sent by the program coordinator which has to be sent at the end of each month. All volunteers should meet their supervisor on the reserves and tell them about how they feel, suggestions, task, etc. At the end of their commitment, volunteers have to send back to the coordinator a final questionnaire.
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Article(s) News:
Kids restore the forest in Sierra Nevada
kids living close to El Dorado Bird Natural Reserve were part of a full day of reforestation within the area of the reserve. This activity was created to show the importance of restoring native habitats of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, benefiting one endemic and endangered species of this habitat, the Little-Parrot of Santa Maria (Pyrrhura viridicata).
Published magazine Colombian Conservation No.9
ProAves publishes online the 9th edition of Colombian Conservation , with a synthesis of the results of the study Indicators and Models to evaluate biodiversity changes in the CDM forestry project in the Chinchiná river basin, carried out in the community of Caldas, Colombia and developed by ProAves.
More than 15 Ecovolunteers have joined the ProAves team, helping at the natural reserves!
This year more than 15 Ecovolunteers from different nationalities have came to Colombia and helped with many interesting conservation activities at the natural reserves. we are waiting for you! Come to Colombia and have an amazing experience...
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